Bonds That Form
by GuardianSoulBlade
Summary: Kevin Levin took Michael Morningstar's Castle and Fief, and exacted cruel vengeance on the nobility he hated, but someone caught his eye, a young girl who wasn't like the rest of them, and he is drawn to her, a woman named Gwen Tennyson.
1. The Prisoner Underground

**Bonds That Form**

_Kevin Levin took Michael Morningstar's Castle and Fief, and exacted cruel vengeance on the nobility he hated, but someone caught his eye, a young girl who wasn't like the rest of them, and he is drawn to her, a woman named Gwen Tennyson._

**Chapter One: The Prisoner Underground**

_"These sorts of stories never end the way they're supposed to. The dashing knight never rescues the princess, he ransoms her for money. If they marry it's not for love. The minstrels change the ending to please the commoners. It never ends well in real life." __**–Gwen Tennyson.**_

* * *

They fought for hours, his arms ached and his armor was soaked in the blood of the knights that had defended the Castle, he unleashed feral screams as he slashed through knights, watching them fall as their blood splattered on his dirty armor.

"This place is finally mine, and Michael, I'm going to enjoy ransoming you for so much money, it'd make your head spin!"

"Just try it Levin, I'll be the one getting the ransom money this time!" Michael snarled.

"Have at thee, bastard!" Kevin slashed at him.

Their swords rang, but not above the din of chaos as their knights fought like animals, doing anything it took to kill or maim their opponent. There was nothing but pure chaos.

Michael managed to slice Kevin's arm where some of the chainmail had ripped, he screamed in pain and lost his concentration, instead of trying to kill him, Michael fled, "Don't let him escape!" he ordered. It was too late, Michael Morningstar had disappeared.

Far below in the dungeons of the castle, the other prisoners listened to the voice of a woman spoke to them, describing the battle above, how people died and what weapons were used to kill. Some prisoners thought she was a witch, but she was well versed in the ways of warfare, being a noble, she could recognize the sound of weapons.

"These sorts of stories never end the way they're supposed to. The dashing knight never rescues the princess, he ransoms her for money. If they marry it's not for love. The minstrels change the ending to please the commoners. It never ends well in real life." Gwen sighed.

"I can hear the screaming through the ceiling. They rape, they kill, they slaughter, men, women, and children, young, old. The irony of safety in a hole. The noble, chivalric knights wouldn't hesitate to kill me, even if I pleaded for my life. If I told them who my family was, they would spare me, but I wouldn't be able to say the words before I had a blade though my neck."

She shuddered, despite the fact that she was already cold from being in a cold, dark hole that Michael had imprisoned her in after dragging her from her home to ransom her to get out of debt.

He also had ulterior motives, he wanted to bed her for his own amusement, and he could hide behind chivalry because his belief in respecting a woman's honor was to sleep with her until he grew tired of her. She had rebuffed him multiple times, and not with panicked screams or cries for help, she'd beaten him with her fists and broken his arm and he had thrown her in the oubliette, a dungeon underground where the only opening was a trapdoor.

Gwen ate the cold, hard bread given to her for her daily rations, it had been lessened during the siege, but since she was being ransomed by her father for a great deal of money, she couldn't die.

Every day she would glimpse her jailor, but he would never speak to her, he would just bring her a cup of water and bread and leave.

Suddenly, everything became much quieter, Gwen spoke to the air. "The battle is over, invaders won."

"Hey Lady, any chance they've killed Michael Morningstar?" a prisoner shouted.

"No, he's too clever, but hopefully, the new lord will be kinder to us," Gwen called out. She didn't know whether it was day or night, but her body drifted off to sleep. She didn't dream, and for that, she was very grateful.

She heard the door to her cell open above her. Was it the next day already? She looked up, expecting her jailor to come down with bread and water.

"Who are you?" the man inquired, Gwen didn't recognize him.

"I am Gwendolyn Tennyson, my father is Lord Frank Tennyson of Bellwood."

"You are lucky then, My Lady, the new Lord, Kevin Levin is throwing a feast for all the nobles."

"He is very kind and generous, I didn't think he cared," the man helped her out and followed her.

He said something as she disappeared from sight, "Unfortunately, he doesn't care about nobles at all, and he is far from kind. Poor girl, I could pity you."

* * *

One of the prison guards looked at Kevin, "We found one last prisoner in the oubliette Sir. She claims she's a noble from the city of Bellwood."

"Fine," Kevin scowled. "Bring her in and give her a seat." He was going to enjoy tormenting these nobles with what they took for granted, their free food, fine drinks and their disgustingly opulent lifestyle.

He sat them down and he had deduced their value according to what he knew about them, they would be worth a great deal to him when he ransomed them back to their fiefs, but he intended to get as much out of them as he could.

"I am feeling generous to you, not only will I give you a feast, but I will hear any requests you have."

Immediately, demands for being moved from the dungeons to the apartments rang out. He ordered to them to be silent and whisper to the guards what they wanted. He would have one guard from every table come and give him their requests.

Gwen heard the guards laughing. "What are the odds the women will ask for a bath?"

"No, no, a castle apartment with a warm fire!" the other howled.

"And you, Lady, what do you want?" the guard who had laughed asked, she could tell he was pretending to be serious.

"Just a blanket, I want a lot of things, but it's all I need for now."

He immediately fell silent, that wasn't a particularly amusing request.

He left to inform Kevin of what had occurred.

"Kevin, I have found records of the nobles that Michael kept here for ransom, but there has to be a mistake in the records," his accountant, a young man by the name of Cooper Daniels gestured to a book.

Kevin took the book and read the entry, in clear writing, "The prisoner in the oubliette, Gwendolyn Tennyson, of Bellwood, daughter of Lord Frank Tennyson, 10,000,000 gold pieces."

"She must be beautiful if she's worth that much!" he joked.

"Have you seen Lord Tennyson's wife, Kevin?" Cooper asked. Kevin recalled that he had. She'd been very beautiful by anyone's standards.

"Yes," Kevin replied.

"His daughter Gwendolyn is quite lovely."

"I've never seen his daughter."

"She was invited as Michael's "guest" years ago."

"Am I reading this correctly that this ransom is ten million gold pieces?" Kevin was shocked. Such a ridiculous sum, he could never hope to have that much money in his entire life.

"Yes," Cooper looked at Kevin, "It's not that Michael didn't need the money, he wanted to pay you back, but he did it to spite Gwen."

"Shouldn't you call her "Lady" Gwendolyn?" he asked, mocking her title.

"I am close friends with her; I have the privilege of calling her Gwen."

"I know of Frank Tennyson, he doesn't have that much money," Kevin scoffed, "No one could afford to ransom anyone at this price, not around here anyway. I won't even receive half that for all the people in this room."

"Are you…going to ransom her for that much?" Cooper asked.

"Why should I care?"

"Kevin, please reconsider. I know her, she doesn't deserve to suffer. She's suffered enough at Michael's hands; I don't want her to suffer because of you too!"

"Nobles only deserve suffering!"

"Kevin, she's not like the others."

"I don't want to hear anymore about some noble slutte, don't talk about her to me again!"

Cooper accepted defeat and sighed.

"What are you going to do?" Cooper asked.

"I'm going to test them, see if they truly understand what it's like to truly suffer."

He went from table to table, asking the other nobles if they had suffered, they complained of the rats and the uncomfortable beds, of no light and being cold and no blankets and that they had suffered terribly and that their windows had such tiny views of the outside.

Kevin smirked and left them, he saw the woman he didn't recognize.

"Who are you?" he demanded gruffly.

"My name is Gwendolyn Tennyson," she replied. Kevin noticed she didn't add a title to her name, referring to herself as "Lady", but he knew that her father was a famous lord and had conquered several castles before he had settled down and gotten married to a woman he had made a childhood marriage promise with.

"Have you suffered?" he sneered.

"Yes I have," Gwen replied. He noticed her eyes, they were familiar to him, but they were filled with such melancholy it could break his heart. He stubbornly refused to let this girl affect his emotions.

Gwen exerted great effort in holding back tears; she'd seen the other noblewomen "cry" as they complained of their plight. She could tell they were insincere, he could tell it as well, he would just assume that she was acting like a stage performer like the rest of the rich, fat, bastards in the room.

"Yes, my lord…I…I…" Gwen fought for words, but the lump in her throat and the rush of emotions that she might actually speak to someone about her misery made her want to cry even more.

"In which way, is it the rats, the cold, no precious blanket or comfortable bed?" he spoke each word with a biting sarcasm that she recognized immediately.

She managed to regain her composure.

"I can't even walk in my cell; I have no view of the outside. There is no one to talk to, not even a jailor."

"One night in prison is hardly suffering," smirked.

"Yes, but I haven't seen the outside of the dungeon until tonight, and I don't know what year it is."

"It is the year 1248," Kevin replied. "You must be joking that you don't know that."

Gwen groaned miserably. The guards beside her were deeply moved.

"Five years of my life…gone…"

Gwen began to cry, it wasn't loud, hysterical cries like the other women, but a deep, low groan of agony. She visibly shuddered and her shoulders shook. She beat the table with her fist and screamed in despair.

"Damn it! DAMN IT!"

Kevin was momentarily startled by the outburst, but he wouldn't fall for it. He clapped his hands mockingly.

"Well done! Well done! You do put on quite a show, _lovely_ Gwen," he sneered. Gwen visibly shuddered; she never wanted to hear another man call her that. It was one of Michael's many names for her; it was just the most pleasant one he used.

Kevin examined the table, expecting to see small drops of water where Gwen had splashed water from the cup onto her face, but he didn't find any.

He turned and left her, but not before he heard her say something.

"I am the most miserable creature on the face of the earth." She hung her head and turned her attention to the food she'd chosen to eat.

Gwen stared sadly at the others who were gorging themselves on food like it was theirs. Kevin watch her eat, and all he saw was what he'd given prisoners as their daily rations and she ate it and didn't touch one bite of the rich food that surrounded her.

He left her, deeply disturbed. He couldn't take his eyes off her. She was beautiful, he could see it, even though she was gaunt and pale from prison, he felt blood rushing through his body and longing rushed through him, he willed himself to calm down. He wasn't one of those bastards that took women to his bed just because he could.

His lust had subsided for now; he had other business to attend to.

"Lords and Ladies, you have feasted on my food, now I shall tell you how much you owe me for this fine feast I've given you."

"Ah, we can pay it, we have money!" One of them shouted.

"It's double what its worth," Kevin stated, their cries of protest were music to his ears. He looked at the sums of money and noticed that Gwen hadn't even eaten a handful of coins worth of food. Why was her ransom so high if she didn't even have money to pay for the food he'd given her? Did she know he was planning on playing off their greed?

Kevin saw the others throw down their money, glaring at him. He saw Gwen place down her coins, not nearly enough for what he was asking. The guards around her seemed to take pity on her and paid the rest of it. He was shocked that she had any money at all; she stared at him but didn't say a word as the others threatened to make him pay for insulting them.

"You will have one hour to do whatever you wish in this castle, but try to escape and you will be shot."

He wandered out to the courtyard, gloating in his vengeance, they would pay for being greedy and he would enjoy hearing them complain.

"Sir, all the requests are in," one of his knights began naming off various lords and ladies and what they wanted. Kevin was becoming irritated when the requests are all similar.

"Just say that a bunch of them want the Castle apartment and be done with it! It's not even funny anymore."

"Lady Gwendolyn Tennyson requested a blanket."

Kevin was startled. "Of all the things she could ask for, you'd think she'd ask for something extravagant."

"I am a prisoner, prisoners don't receive special treatment," Gwen spoke up behind him.

He turned to her, "I have been good and generous to you, I spared your life when I could easily execute prisoners. I've given you food and I'm considering your request, along with the others."

"You have no intention of giving anyone anything."

"That's what you think, but I am good, kind and generous to my friends. I have won renown in battle and taken anything I've wanted."

Gwen had enough of his boasting and snapped.

"Save your chivalric bullshit! It's all a lie; knights only care about three things, glory, war and placing baubles in the holes of any pretty bitch they please. You're just like the rest of them!"

She braced herself for the stinging slap that she knew would come.

Kevin began to laugh. "You are just like me! You think just like I do!" his eyes were filled with mirth one second, then an angry rage.

He gripped her arm painfully and pulled her close. "But I don't like being insulted, and I won't forget what you said to me. I'll be going now."

He turned and began walking away.

"Please don't go!" she whispered in his ear, holding him against her, Kevin was startled by her actions. He instinctively wrapped his arms around her.

"Tell me you care about me, that you'll take care of me, that everything is all right."

"I don't mean those things!" he growled. "It'd be a lie."

"I don't care if you mean them or not, I just need you to say them."

He repeated the words, he tried to lie, but he knew that he meant them in a strange way. She was leaning against him, he backed up until he brushed against a tree, he settled down against it, holding her, whispering sweet nothings in her ear, he didn't even realize what he was saying to her.

She turned around so she could look up at the stars; they stayed that way for what seemed like forever.

"Why are you acting so strange?" he asked, puzzled. There was no mockery or malice in his voice and Gwen noticed.

"I have been alone for five years, for just one hour, I don't want to be alone, even if you hate me…I want to be with someone while I have one hour of freedom. My father will be here soon to take me home, just a little while longer…"

Kevin felt the shield of his resolve cracking under the strain of this woman's battered soul.

"Lady Gwendolyn, you have to go back," her guards approached her, she didn't protest, she just got up and walked to them.

"I'm ready to go back," she whispered. "Thank you."

"For what?" Kevin asked.

"You are the first person who has let me come outside in five years; you have been very kind to me. So thank you."

Kevin had always prided himself on being hard-hearted, but that resolve was crumbling. He had always been called cruel, but for her to call him kind, shattered any hatred he might have had towards her for being a noble.

"Take Gwen up to the castle apartments and let her sleep."

"You called me Gwen," she seemed to smile at him. "Only close friends call me that."

He didn't say a word, he watched her leave.

"Say Cooper, is she related to Ben Tennyson?" Kevin asked.

"You finally saw the resemblance?" Cooper asked, surprised. "She's his older cousin."

"Older?" Kevin raised his eyebrow surprised.

"By ten minutes, they were both born on the same day."

"She is…"

"She's what?" Cooper prodded.

"She's the most beautiful and extraordinary girl I've ever seen." He turned and walked away, not saying another word.


	2. The Arrangement

**Chapter Two: The Arrangement**

_**Author's Epic Real Life Announcement: **__I'm going to be an aunt. My Sister-in-law is pregnant! Can't squee on Facebook yet, but I can squee here!_

* * *

"_Are men so terrified to marry a beautiful woman? Is it her headstrong nature or that her father doted on her and let her do things that shocked other men, or is it that blonde-haired bastard Michael that I hear screaming in the other room demanding to see you? He dragged her from the safety of her room to ravage and hurt her. He disgusts me, he doesn't deserve to have anything, I'll marry your daughter, and your money doesn't matter, seeing the shocked look on his face does." –__**Kevin Levin.**_

* * *

Gwen struggled to return to the life she had lived before. A warm bed, a fire, fine clothes, all of it seemed like it was from another world and felt foreign to her.

She had spent time in the castle, just readjusting to her life as a noble. She had regained a little of her strength, but not nearly enough. She walked stiffly and her joints ached from disuse.

"Do you feel better?" Kevin asked as he entered her room, bowing politely.

"Yes," she replied.

"I will accompany you to your father's estate," he told her. He knew she wouldn't be safe without an escort, especially with Michael Morningstar out there somewhere.

"I'm grateful, but promise me you won't do anything without my permission," Gwen gave him a stern gaze.

"Of course not," he gave her an appeasing smile.

"How noble and moral of you," Gwen chuckled.

"Morality has nothing to do with it, fornicators are publicly disemboweled. I wish to remain intact. Ugh!" he replied and walked away.

"Tell that to Michael!" Gwen spat. "I'm sorry. I'm not angry with you."

"Who isn't a angry with him? I want the money he owes me," Kevin laughed.

"We have that much in common. We both hate him." Gwen looked over at him.

It took them a week to return to Bellwood, they made their way to her father's castle and she saw him in the gateway.

She dismounted her horse and ran to greet him, she threw herself into her father's arms as they both wept, her mother was there and Kevin couldn't help but be touched by what he was seeing.

"I'm grateful to you, Kevin Levin, I never dreamed you would be the one to rescue my daughter," Frank Tennyson said, his eyes brimming with gratitude.

"I never dreamed of it either," Kevin replied. He had to admit, he was going to miss her, but he had a lot on his mind, getting his new estate in order, still, he felt a sense of pride that he had saved a beautiful girl, it was something out of a fairy tale, although he had not been kind to her, at least from his point of view.

"We will give a feast in your honor good sir!" Frank Tennyson smiled.

"I accept," Kevin smiled, who was he to turn down a free meal?

The feast was prepared and many guests invited to celebrate Gwen's return. The feast went on for hours, people laughing and talking.

The women around Gwen were gossiping, what else did women do?

"I've heard Michael Morningstar has a great wit*****," Lucy giggled.

Gwen felt utterly disgusted. They thought they were clever, but she knew what they were talking about, even though she'd never been with a man before, she'd seen her captor's "wit", it had been disgusting.

"I could care less for Michael Morningstar's wit," Gwen glared.

"His wit is _very_ impressive," Lucy laughed. Gwen knew that all they saw was the handsome, charming man. They'd never seen him for the disgusting letch he was.

"A great gross one!" Gwen spat. She began walking away from them. "If only men were witless!"

"A man without his wit isn't much of a man, but that's a fair thought to lie between a maid's legs," a voice said behind her. Gwen turned to look behind her, expecting to see Michael Morningstar. Instead, she saw Kevin Levin.

"What is, my lord?" Gwen asked; his train of thought was obvious.

"Nothing,*****" Kevin rested his gaze on her, Gwen flinched.

"Is nothing all men think and talk about?" she looked at him.

"I don't believe so; you give me a lot to think about," Kevin smiled softly.

"I do apologize that he had to come up in conversation," he turned and left.

He left her and approached her father who was sitting in a room with various papers.

"If you are dissatisfied with the reward I have given you for rescuing my daughter, I can negotiate."

"That's not why I'm here. Why does Michael want her so badly? He'd get money from a dowry, but she can't inherit any of your wealth. It will go to your son Kenneth."

"He is obsessed with possessing her, because she has always refused his advances, he wants to own her, use her until she's spent and he is bored, he has always gotten what he's wanted."

"How could this happen?" Kevin asked, he could hardly believe that Gwendolyn would just let a man kidnap her.

"He took her from her room, while she slept; she awoke tied to the back of his horse. He tried to bed her and resisted, he locked her in his castle apartments, sending me a ransom note, she tried to escape, he caught her and tried to force himself on her, but she told me she fought him off, he put her in his dungeon, thinking it would break her, but when he tried again she broke his arm. Then he had his men put her in the oubliette. Every time she resisted, he increased the price of her ransom, making it impossible for me to pay. She would be in his clutches for the rest of her life."

"You would understand, because you were a commoner, this is a time where men view women as property, but we have always been a close family. We don't use each other for financial or political gain. We love each other, and that is what is important to us. Especially now, since love is the thing of stories and fairy tales and troubadours and minstrels songs. Love is very rare, and the fact that we possess it makes us vulnerable to others. But the only way Michael will ever have her is over my dead body."

Frank sighed, "I've wanted to protect her, I have tried to arrange marriages for her, but it never works out."

Kevin could hear shouting outside the room. A familiar voice and he wished he could find an excuse to silence it permanently.

"Are men so terrified to marry a beautiful woman? Is it her headstrong nature or that her father doted on her and let her do things that shocked other men, or is it that blonde-haired bastard Michael that I hear screaming in the other room demanding to see you? He dragged her from the safety of her room to ravage and hurt her. He disgusts me, he doesn't deserve to have anything, I'll marry your daughter, and your money doesn't matter, seeing the shocked look on his face does."

Michael shoved a guard aside and entered the room.

"Father, you called for me…Michael…" Gwen's face went pale and she began backing away.

Michael reached out and grabbed her arm. "Hello, lovely Gwen."

"You don't get to touch what's mine!" Gwen heard Kevin's voice growl.

Gwen saw the horrified look on Michael's face as Kevin gripped his arm and pushed him back.

_What's he talking about? _Gwen asked.

"My daughter has been betrothed to Kevin Levin," Frank Tennyson smiled, a knowing smile, one that told Michael he would never have his daughter again. "And he has gladly agreed to it."

"Fine," Michael spat, "It's not like that cunte will be able to bear you anything, not your weight, and certainly not a son. Marry your punk*****, you deserve her!"

"Not like any woman you've ever bedded has been able to bear _you_ a son! I'm sure you've _known_ plenty of punks in your bed!" Kevin snapped.

"Get out of my sight Michael; the next time you come here, my men will have orders to shoot you! That you even show your face here is disgusting!" Frank Tennyson glowered. He had his men drag Michael from the room.

"I feel sick," Gwen moaned, Kevin saw her stagger and held her against him.

"It's all right, he's gone," he reassured her.

"Gwen, I'm sorry that you had to see him," Frank apologized to his daughter. "I've arranged this marriage to protect you, you understand."

"Yes Father," she knew that men had refused to marry her because they were afraid that Michael would kill them.

Frank handed her some wine, "Drink, it'll calm your nerves."

Gwen drank it and took a deep breath.

She looked over at Kevin and wondered why he had agreed to marry a total stranger.

He walked away and left her alone with her thoughts.

Ben found his friend in the guest hall. "I do believe congratulations are in order."

"I guess this means we will be close as family then," Kevin smiled. They had been best friends for years, but he had not met Gwen before that.

"Why didn't you raise an army to rescue her?" Kevin asked.

"I was anticipating doing so, but Ken insisted we pay Michael. You solved my problem and for that, I do thank you. You should find her."

"Why didn't you tell me she was your cousin?" Kevin asked.

"You've never seen her," Ben replied, "And you've never asked about my family."

He smiled and left. Kevin found her standing by a large window.

"Are you all right?" Kevin asked, concerned.

"I will be," Gwen replied. "I…thank you, for what you've done for me. You've…"

"Been very kind, so you've said," Kevin smiled softly. "Can you show me your gratitude this time?"

"What do you mean?" Gwen looked at him hesitantly.

"Thank me with a kiss," Kevin whispered.

Gwen pressed her lips to his. She pressed her mouth to his gently, giving him a chaste, sweet kiss.

She pulled away from him. "Is my thanks enough?"

"You're so beautiful; one kiss is never enough for me, not with you…" Kevin pulled her back for another kiss, hungry, passionate and greedy. He gripped her waist and held her against him and ran his fingers through her hair. Her father spoiled her, he let her wear her hair down, which was unheard of, and only permitted on her wedding night, but he didn't mind that one bit. Women covered their heads and it made them almost indistinguishable from one another.

Kevin smiled at her, she blushed.

"Why did you accept my father's arrangement?" Gwen asked. "Is it money? Or something else?"

"Something else…you aren't the only one, who has suffered at the hands of nobles. My father was a knight. We weren't wealthy, but we were happy. My father Devin, he went off on a campaign and never came back. One of his friends said that someone betrayed and murdered him. So I left home and tried to find him. I haven't found him yet, but I'm going to kill him."

Gwen said nothing; it wasn't her place to speak. Kevin shook his head dislodging his angry thoughts.

"I will arrange for us to be legally married as soon as possible, it might take time before we can have a wedding ceremony, but as long as there is a contract we will be married."

"Ah! There you are!" Ben exclaimed. "Gwen, your father says that the two of you must go to the courtyard, there is a priest and he will have you both married this evening!"

Gwen was shocked.

"So soon?" Kevin asked. "He must be worried if he rushes us to our wedding…" Gwen heard him mutter "bed" under his breath.

Gwen was ushered to her chambers were her mother helped her into a beautiful dress, and she was prepared for a day that was the dream of many young women, but to her it felt surreal. This wasn't exactly how she thought it would turn out, but she knew Kevin had come to care for her, and she had felt stirrings in her own heart as well, it was enough for now.

Kevin had been accompanied by his closest friends, as he had intended to make the marriage legal quickly and wanted trusted witnesses to the event, they brought her family to the courtyard and since his only family was his mother, she accompanied him there as well.

The vows were exchanged, along with her dowry. The ceremony was quiet and it was over, Kevin declared that he would pay for a feast to celebrate for nine days.

The guests were overjoyed and Gwen wondered how they could possibly eat more food.

The guests began to gather around the new bride and groom. One of them, a man began to reach for Gwen's garter and she flinched.

"She's not exactly comfortable with men touching her. Allow me," Kevin removed her garter and tossed it to the guests. He escorted her back to a guest apartment.

Kevin shut the door of their bedroom and smiled.

"The consummation," he moved closer to her.

'My lord…I…" Gwen began. Kevin embraced her, kissing her eagerly.

"No titles, Gwen. I hate titles, call me by my name. You aren't beneath me, do you understand?"

She smiled. He was unlike so many of the other nobles, always asking to be called by their titles and enjoying having others grovel before them.

"Kevin…before this happens, can I take you somewhere?" Gwen asked him, touching his cheek affectionately.

"I'd follow you anywhere," he smiled.

She led him outside and to a large river located on her father's estate. There was a small wooden shelter and in it, a small bed.

"I used to come here as a child, to spend time by myself. I felt safe here," Gwen smiled.

"This is a good place, and no one will hear us," Kevin reached out and pulled her into his arms.

"Where do we start?" Gwen asked.

"Ah, I'm not sure, I suppose we will start with kissing," he leaned over and kissed her gently, coaxing her back onto the small bed.

They kissed gently, enjoying each other's company. Kevin was content. To think she'd been in that castle for five years, such a beautiful, strong-willed woman.

"Michael told me about you once," Kevin whispered, stroking her face. "He said you were beautiful, and that you'd bring him a great deal of money."

"When was this?" Gwen was curious.

"Four years ago, he'd brought me down to his dungeon, trying to convince me to give him more time to get money."

"I heard you talking to him, I reached for you…"

"Did you grab my ankle?" he asked.

"I think so. Michael crushed my hand with his boot."

"I'm sorry for that, but it's not my ankle that I want you to grab," he grinned.

Gwen pulled off his jacket and his linen shirt. He guided her hands, teaching her to explore his body. Gwen couldn't help but admire his strong and muscular physique, he smiled appreciatively at her.

She unexpectedly grabbed his hand and brought it down to her clothed breast.

"So that's what you want lovely Gwen," he whispered, kissing her again.

"Don't call me that, please," Gwen pleaded with him.

"Why not?" Kevin asked. "I say it because it's true."

"Michael called me that, whenever he tried to…" Gwen's voice trailed off.

"I'll make you forget he ever called you that," Kevin leaned down and kissed her neck.

Gwen gasped as he pulled her dress off, he wanted her, he'd always thought an arranged marriage would be a burden to him, but she completed him, they both understood life was harsh and that people were cruel and they simply wanted to have a normal life somehow in a world where life was short and you could die any day.

"Get these trousers off me!" Kevin growled, his eyes were burning, he couldn't control his desire anymore, and he knew that there wasn't anything wrong with that. He saw Gwen flinch and his facial features softened. "I'm not going to hurt you…I can't help myself. I want to make love to you, Gwen…Please…Let me…"

She hesitantly pulled his trousers where she could see his penis, flaccid and limp. Gwen swallowed nervously. He didn't look too big, she hoped it wouldn't be painful.

"You…" Gwen stared at him.

"I won't make jests regarding my wit, but," Kevin kissed her. "I've heard this does hurt a woman but I'll be gentle, I promise."

"I just hope I can please you…somehow, I feel so weak," Gwen sighed. Her poor body hadn't regained much of its strength. She genuinely wanted for the two of them to be happy in this marriage, she didn't want him to stray and leave her alone.

"That's none of your doing, I will take care of everything tonight," Kevin soothed.

Kevin ran his fingers down her cheek; he began to stroke her skin, sweetly kissing her as he moved down her body.

"Kevin wait…I want to touch you…" Gwen's voice trailed off as she pulled off his shirt and began to explore his body with her hands, her gaze traveled downward, still nervous about what they would do. She'd seen Michael naked from the waist down and she desperately reminded herself that they weren't the same person.

Gwen reached out to touch Kevin, stroking his penis until she heard him groan. "Is this…good?"

"Yes, lovely Gwen, it's good," he growled in her ear. "You just keep doing that."

She stared at his face as she continued to pump him slowly, feeling his erection as he became aroused. Kevin groaned and hissed as he felt himself orgasm, he sighed and looked over at her. Gwen was a little stunned as she saw his semen land on the sheets.

"I shouldn't have done that, I'm supposed to have you inside me when that happens."

"It's something I wanted Gwen, it's fine," he reassured her, pulling her in for a kiss.

He kissed his way down her body and gently groped her breasts; he sucked her nipples and heard her gasp. Kevin looked up at her and smiled.

"I love you."

Gwen stared up at him, "I love you too."

"I know we don't know each other very well, but I know that I've loved you," Kevin spoke between kisses, "But I think it was when you embraced me that night, I knew you were different from any other woman I've met."

"I don't know what to say," Gwen was truly touched by his words.

"Don't say anything then," Kevin kissed his way down her belly, settling his head between her legs.

"Kevin, you can't do that! It's a serious taboo!" Gwen scolded.

"No one can see us, we don't have to tell anyone anything," he smiled. He slid his tongue into her, savoring her warmth; Gwen groaned and squirmed as he continued flicking his tongue in a rhythm. She cried out as an exquisite feeling washed over her.

"Now you're ready for me, and I'm going to take your maidenhead," he whispered, easing himself into her.

Gwen groaned, it hurt, she gasped and gritted her teeth, letting the pain pass.

"Are you hurt, Gwen?" Kevin was concerned.

"No, I'm fine," Gwen reassured him.

Kevin began to move, pulling back until he was almost out of her and then thrusting back in.

Gwen cried out, the sensations he caused, they overwhelmed her. She gripped his shoulders, trying unsuccessfully to use her weakened knees to steady herself by wrapping them around his hips.

"Shhh, don't overexert yourself, I can move," Kevin reassured her.

He set a hard rhythm, moving quickly as he gripped her hips.

"Fock!" Kevin exclaimed. "So snug around me, you're too beautiful…" He kept moving, he wasn't finished yet.

He heard her scream his name as he felt her body grasp his. He felt his semen leave his body as he collapsed on top of his wife, panting heavily.

"Gwen, you're…" he panted. "…mine…I won't…let him have you, or anyone else…I…love you…"

"Kevin…" she stared at him. "Kevin…"

"Roll over on your stomach for me," Kevin instructed. Gwen was puzzled but obeyed him.

Gwen lay on her stomach, feeling Kevin's body and his weight. He kissed her cheek and smiled.

"This will be much easier on you," Kevin soothed.

"This is also a position that's about pleasure, not procreation," Gwen murmured.

"Who said we can't have both?" Kevin kissed her mouth.

Gwen didn't say a word to him, she felt him stroking and kissing her back as they lay together on the small bed.

After awhile, Kevin began to move as he buried himself inside her.

Kevin slammed himself in and out of her, grunting as he kissed her neck and cupped her breasts from behind.

"I love how you react to me, you're beautiful," Kevin complimented. "Gwen…"

He felt his orgasm wash over him. Gwen screamed, her body tightened for a moment and then she felt exhausted.

"Shouldn't I do something for you?" Gwen asked. She'd heard women whisper about how to pleasure a man in bed, of using one's mouth to make a man release but it was a taboo.

"No, no, not tonight, tonight is for you, I am perfectly happy here with you."

"We should go back to our room," Gwen suggested.

"You can't expect us to walk," Kevin complained.

"No," Gwen summoned her powers; she grabbed their discarded clothes and took them. "Eo Recedentia." Kevin watched in awe as a strange crimson field of energy surrounded them and he found himself in their room again.

"What was that?" Kevin asked in awe.

"You could call it magic, it's something I've known how to do all my life," Gwen said hesitantly, not everyone understood her strange powers and the church could have her executed for practicing magic, not that they knew about it, she'd been locked away and Michael had known how to restrain her so her powers were sealed away.

"Sorceress!" Kevin hissed, the expression on his face was teasing as he kissed her deeply. "You are unbelievable." He embraced her. "Go to sleep."

Kevin pulled the blanket over them as Gwen drifted off to sleep. He would protect her and keep her secrets, he owed her that much, she'd given him the love and attention he'd always dreamed about. He didn't know too much about her, but what he did know, he cherished, and he promised himself that they would really love each other, like the love in the stories that gave the characters a happy ending, and no one, not Michael or anyone else would ever come between them.

He kissed her head and slept, completely content for the first time in his life.

* * *

*** Wit **– A clever euphemism for dick, thank you Shakespeare.

*** Nothing** – Slang for vagina, that is all.

*** Punk **- Female prostitute, yes, it did mean that a long time ago!


End file.
